Didcot Railway Centre Turntable - Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
Posted by: 
Dragontree
N 51° 36.894 W 001° 14.723
30U E 621481 N 5719665
This turntable is part of the working museum which is the Didcot Railway Centre.
Waymark Code: WM7DF8
Location: Southern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/09/2009
Views: 5
A turntable was installed on this site in 1932 and it measured 65 feet being a Great Western design. Unfortunately this original turntable didn't survive with the advent of steam in 1965. As it was no longer required it was removed and the pit filled in.
When Didcot Railway Centre set up the museum in 1967 they needed a turntable for the locomotives and in fact still do today. The turntable we see now is a Southern Railway 70 feet design by Ransome and Rapier Limited. It was found at Southampton Docks.
The pit was re-dug, widened and deepened and the 'new' turntable positioned. Its extra length means longer, visiting engines can also be turned here. The table is regularly used on steam open days.
To turn the table the extension levers are pushed or the gearing system is rotated by hand.
Didcot Railway Centre is a working museum where locomotives, carriages and artifacts can be seen spanning 170 years of railway history.
Number of Stalls: 1
Year Built: 01/01/1935
Currently in Operation: yes
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